Hearing aid construction



Aug. 25,- 1953 w. R. WALTERS 2,650,267

HEARING AID CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 26. 1949 2 Sheets-Shad. 1

zyw 'A 25, 1953 w. R. WALTERS 2,650,267

HEARING AID CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 25. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 25,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT 01F FIIC E 2,650,267 HEARING AID CONSTRUCTION Warren R. Walters, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to The Maico Company, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application August 26, 1949, Serial No. 112,527

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates generally to electronic hearing aid construction and, more specifically, to means whereby certain of the component parts thereof may be quickly and easily removed and replaced.

My invention contemplates the use of a panel upon which are mounted the tube sockets, condensers, and resistors of the device and certain of the circuit leads thereto. I have found that considerable savings in time and effort can be achieved in the original assembly of the hearing aid when such above-mentioned parts are secured to a removable panel separately of the hearin aid casing. This is particularly true when using a printed circuit, that is, a circuit in which the leads thereof are imprinted on a non-conducting surface, the printed matter having electrical conducting qualities.

A highly important object of my invention is the provision of novel coupling means for mechanically and electrically joining component elements mounted on a panel with cooperating elements carried by a casing of a hearing aid.

Another object of my invention is the provision of coupling means as above described on a hearing aid casing and a panel unit which will permit rapid removal and replacement of said panel unit without the use of tools or special equipment.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a coupler for the purpose above-memtioned, which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is efficient and durable in use.

Other highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referrin to the drawings, in which like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a hearing aid built in accordance with my invention, the cover plate thereof being removed; I

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the pane] unit of my invention on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 on a still further enlarged scale;

Fig. 4. is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in cross-section and partly in side elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of one of the coupling elements of my invention; and

Fig. '6 is a wiring diagram of a hearing aid incorporatin my novel coupling means.

Referring with greater particularly to the draw- I by a cover element not shown. The casing I, to-

gether with the cover element, encloses the microphone, batteries, and audio-amplifier normally used in an electronic hearing aid. The reproducing unit, not shown but of conventional design, is adapted to be connected to a pair of output jacks or connectors 2 and 3 secured to the casing I. Said reproducing unit may be of the bone conductor type, which is worn against the head above and behind the ear, or of the type which is worn in the ear of the user. The A and B batteries, indicated by the numerals 4 and 5 respectively, are held in position inthe casing I by power leads 6 and I respectively, and a common lead 8. The leads 6 and I are in the nature of spring clips, and the lead 8 is also in the form of a spring clip or bar. A source of C current comprising a bias cell 9, in addition to a microphone Ill, an off-on switch and volume control element II, and an output transformer I2, are also mounted in the casing I. With references to Figs. 1 and 6, it will be noted that the transformer I2 is contained within a compartment I3 in the casing I. A tone control switch I4 is shown in Fig. 1 as havinga control arm extending outwardly of the casing I.

The electronic amplifier tubes customarily used in-an electronic hearing aid device, in the present instance three in number, together with the usual condensers and resistors necessary to the operation thereof, are mounted on a removable panel I5. An input tubeIG is removably mounted in a conventional socket I1 rigidly secured to one side of the panel I5. Intermediate amplifier and power output tubes I8 and I9 respectively are removably mounted in respective sockets 20 and 2| also secured to the same side of the panel I 5 as is the socket I1. Means for securing the sockets I1, 20, and 2| comprise rigid wire leads extending from the several sockets to the panel I5 and support said sockets in spaced relation to the panel. The current conductor elements or circuit leads between the supporting wires for the several tube sockets and the condensers and resistors of the circuit comprise a printed circuit, that is, a circuit of leads imprinted upon the panel and utilizing a printing medium containing currentconducting material. It should be noted that the circuit is more or less standard and in itself forms no part of the instant invention.

For the purpose of mounting the panel I5 in the casing I and electrically connecting certain of the circuit leads imprinted on the panel I to other circuit leads contained within the casing I, I provide a plurality of friction-type couplers 22 each comprising a metallic anchoring post 23 and an anchoring clip 24. The posts 23 may be rigidly mounted to the casing in any suitable manner but, preferably and as shown, are screw-threaded thereinto. Each post :23 is diametrically enlarged at its intermediate portion (see Fig. 4) to provide a shoulder 25 which limits movement of the anchoring clips 24 in one direction. Each anchoring clip 24 comprises a generally U-shaped portion 26 and an integrallyformed hook element 21 which is adapted to embrace a post 23 above its shoulder 25. The anchoring clips 24 are secured to the panel I5 preferably by rivets 28 extending through aligned apertures'29 adjacent the free ends of the U- shaped portion .26 and apertures 39 in the panel I5 adjacent the side edges thereof. As shown, the intermediate part of the U-shaped base portion of eachclip 24 abuts a side edge of the panel I5, and the hook element 21 extends laterally outwardly of said panel. Clips 24 are made from resilient material such as hard brass, bronze, or the like, and the hooks 21 thereof grip the posts 23 with sufficient tension to insure a good electrical connection therebetween and to prevent accidental removal of the panel I5. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the couplers 22 are so spaced that the panel I5 may be mounted in one way only. In other words, if the panel is turned end for end or upside-down, the clips 24 cannot be aligned with the posts 23 so as to be moved thereonto.

The anchoring clips 24 are connected to various component elements on the panel I5 by means of conduits imprinted on the panel, as indicateol in the diagram of Fig. 6. As there shown, the lead 8 is connected to the filaments of the amplifier tubes I6, I8, and I9 through one of the couplers 22 and other leads 3| and 32. Another coupler 22 connects the positive side of the B battery 5 with the plates of the input tube I6 and intermediate amplifier tubes I8 through a lead 33 in the casing I and a printed lead 34. Leads 35 and 36 in the casing I connect the microphone II) with couplers 22, one connected with a grid in the output tube I6 through a printed lead 31 and the other connected to the printed lead 3| by another printed lead 38. From the above, it should be obvious, Without further detailed description of the various leads of the diagram of Fig. 6, that the couplers 22 connect certain elements of the system mounted on the casing I with cooperating component elements of the system mounted on the panel I5. 7

I have found that a hearing aid built in accordance with the invention herein disclosed can be assembled in a relatively short time and with a substantial savings in labor, and that the problem of servicing and repairing this type of hearing aid construction is simplified to an appreciable extent.

While I have disclosed a commercial embodi- 4 ment of my novel hearing aid construction, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a hearing aid of the class described and including a pick-up microphone and an electronic audio amplifier, a casing, means mounting certain component elements of said amplifier on said casing, a mounting panel, means mounting the remaining cooperating components of said amplifier on said mounting panel, connections between cooperating elements on said casing and those mounted on said panel, interposed in each of said connections a friction type coupler, said couplers comprising a plurality of anchoring posts mounted on said casing in spaced parallel relationship, and cooperating anchoring clips secured to said panel adjacent the marginal edge thereof, said clips having laterally-projecting hook-like portions encompassing said anchoring posts and axially slidable thereon, whereby to engage and disengage said clips from their cooperating posts by sliding movements of the panel.

2. The structure defined in claim '1 in which said casing is provided with an opening through which said panel is insertable and removable.

3. A device of the class described, including a pick-up microphone and an electronic amplifier, a casing member, means mounting certain component elements of said amplifier on said casing member, a mounting panel member, means mounting the remaining cooperating components of said amplifier'on said mounting panel member, connections between cooperating elements on said casing member and those mounted on said mounting panel member, a frictiontype coupler interposed in each of said connections, said couplers each comprising'a'plurality of anchoring posts mounted on one of said members, and cooperating anchoring clips secured to the other of said members, 'said clips having laterally-projecting hook-like portions encompassing said anchoring posts and axially slidable thereon whereby to engage and disengage said clips from their cooperating posts by sliding movements of one of said members with respect to the other thereof.

WARREN R. WALTERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent Tresise et al. Feb. 7, 1950 

